Akatsuki Translations

I’m the strongest fighter in school. You might think that’s not in fashion these days even in middle school, but it’s quite effective, and thanks to that, I’ve already lost my virginity. My girlfriend’s name is Koharu Sakaki, and while her face is so-so, she has big tits and is sexy.

“Hey, don’t push.”

“Move out of the way.”

“No way. That girl?”

“Whoa, that’s a level 3? She’s really beautiful as expected.”

“She was always a really beautiful person, right?”

“Why did she enter the dungeon? Shouldn’t she be going to D-Rank High?”

“What’s all the commotion about?”

In the morning, when I came to school and tried to enter the classroom, there was a crowd in front of the room. That had never happened before. They were making a fuss about something related to the dungeon. For some reason, I even heard Rokujou’s name being mentioned.

Come to think of it, I heard he didn’t even take the D-Rank High exam. He hasn’t been coming to school at all, so did he die in the dungeon? If so, was it because I bullied him? Maybe I did a bad thing. Could it be that he was trying to get revenge on me and forcibly entered the dungeon?

Well, if that’s the case, he got what was coming to him. I mean, it’s only natural to hit Rokujou, right? Anyone would get pissed off seeing that indecisive face of his. The other guys didn’t stop me from hitting him either. I hit him because his trembling face pisses me off. If he doesn’t like it, he should act more confident.

“She’s being deceived.”

“I know him, but why is she with Rokujou of all people?”

“Poor girl.”

Poor girl? Is it a pity even if Rokujou dies? When I entered the classroom, there was a girl crying. It seems there’s no mistake. Rokujounokimi. The nickname I specially gave him. It’s too high-class of a nickname for him.

I should have given him a more mocking nickname, but this one stuck first. He better not have written about me in his will or anything. Well, if he died after entering the dungeon, the police won’t investigate much either.

“Hey, move out of the way!” -Ikemoto

I shouted angrily. When I tried to sit in my seat, another girl was sitting there. Why are there so many girls here? More like, no one was hanging around Rokujounokimi’s seat. So I thought that maybe Rokujounokimi didn’t actually die after all.

“How rude. Don’t yell at me just for sitting in a seat for a bit.”

What’s with this girl, sitting in someone else’s seat? The guys from other classes who were making a fuss looking around the classroom all turned to look at me at once, and I heard them mutter, “It’s Ikemoto.”

“You’re the one at fault for sitting in my seat!” -Ikemoto

“Let’s go. This person is Ikemoto.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry.”

The girl seemed to not know that I was Ikemoto. Well, if that’s the case, I thought I’d let it slide. I’m not bad enough to hit girls in the first place. But for some reason, I felt like the girls were looking at me with pity. They flee away from me as if escaping.

When I looked closely, the girls were gathered around Kiriyama’s seat. Kiriyama is the girl I like. She’s a girl with a beautiful face that’s completely different from the average middle school student, and most of the guys at this school like Kiriyama. Looking closely, Kiriyama had come to school today. She was as beautiful as ever.

“Wait, what?” -Ikemoto

And then I was at a loss for words. Rather than being as beautiful as ever, she was more beautiful than before. Her already well-proportioned face was even more well-proportioned than before, with a hint of coldness. I had heard the absurd story that she entered the dungeon alone, but could it be that she leveled up?

Can a girl do something like that by herself? Just being stared at by those almond-shaped eyes makes my heart race. I had confessed to Kiriyama before. It was half a year ago. I called the girl I liked out behind the school building and confessed. At that time, I thought I was having a youthful spring too.

“U-Um, Kiriyama, I like you! Please go out with me!” -Ikemoto

“Huh, that Koharu… I told her to refuse even if she was asked… Um, you’re Ikemoto, right?” -Misuzu

“Y-Yeah.” -Ikemoto

“Sorry. I’m not really interested in guys. That’s how it is, so bye.” -Misuzu

But she didn’t pay any attention to me at all. Kiriyama was so beautiful that I thought it was only natural for me to be rejected. But now she’s even more than that.

“Wait a minute. Why is Rokujounokimi’s name being mentioned along with hers?” -Ikemoto

Rokujou’s name was being whispered several times from within the crowd around Kiriyama.

“Ikemoto. Seems like something crazy happened.” -Onoda

“No way, Rokujou… He definitely holds a grudge against us.” -Gotou

“Dungeon revenge, spare me, seriously.” -Ikemoto

Just as I was thinking about it, Onoda and Gotou called out to me. Onoda claims his hair is naturally brown even though his parents own a barber shop and he dyes it. He kept saying he wanted to be popular with girls. He’s an idiot who thinks dyeing his hair brown will make him popular with girls.

Gotou is like a hanger-on to me and Onoda, and I liked him because he says funny things. The three of us have even gone to Shibuya to pick up girls before. I’m quite good-looking, so we managed to hook up with a group of three college girls. That was still our pride and joy.

“What the hell. Who cares about Rokujou? I bet he’s at home jacking off while looking at his computer. More importantly, did Kiriyama make it back alive from the dungeon? Can even girls come back alive?” -Ikemoto

I suddenly felt the urge to enter the dungeon myself.

Even girls can come back alive. If I’m the strongest fighter in school, I should easily be able to reach level 3. Then I’ll be stronger than the heavyweight boxing champion. Even Kiriyama, who rejected my confession, should change her view of me if I keep leveling up in the dungeon.

“You’re an idiot, that’s not it. Not just Kiriyama, but Rokujou also succeeded. Apparently, he went into the dungeon on the day of the Musashi High entrance exam, for some crazy reason.” -Gotou

“Oh, so he died, right?” -Ikemoto

I suddenly had a bad feeling.

There’s no way a weakling like him could do well in the dungeon. Adults have told us over and over that the dungeon isn’t such a forgiving place. But on the other hand, it’s also said that in the dungeon, even if you’re weak at fighting, if you defeat 10 goblins and reach level 2, that alone can overturn everything.

“He’s not dead. He’s level 3. And get this, his party member is that Kiriyama Misuzu. Seems like there’s one more who’s an acquaintance of Kiriyama’s older sister. In other words, a pretty girl who’s a model or something.” -Onoda

“What?” -Ikemoto

“Still, girls are amazing, aren’t they? They keep prying into things that Kiriyama is trying to keep quiet about. It’s scary when you hear them eavesdropping.” -Gotou

“Why is everyone trying so hard to ask her?” -Ikemoto

“They’re probably just jealous. Even before, it was like Kiriyama was taking all the affection from the guys. They thought she had entered the dungeon and died, but she came back alive, and on top of that, she leveled up from before. They just can’t stay quiet about it, you know?” -Onoda

“I heard she even found the stairs to the 2nd floor. Kiriyama just came to school for a bit, and in 3 days she’s going to stay overnight again. Apparently, Kiriyama is going to enter the dungeon with Rokujou.” -Gotou

“Seriously? Damn it, he’s doing well for himself. How annoying.” -Ikemoto

My chest instantly filled with irritation. Did that Rokujounokimi bet on a turnaround in the dungeon and succeed?

“They say if you enter the dungeon with the opposite sex, you’re 100% guaranteed to hook up.” -Gotou

“Ugh, this sucks. Why did Kiriyama have to go with Rokujou of all people…? I want to beat the crap out of him. Isn’t he coming to school?” -Ikemoto

“You idiot. Rokujou is level 3 too. More importantly, what about dungeon revenge? We might get done in.” -Gotou

Dungeon revenge. A bullied kid enters the dungeon, gets stronger, and takes revenge on their bullies. It’s not a story you hear much since the D-Rank High schools were established, but back when dungeons first appeared, that kind of thing happened frequently. There were even cases where the other person ended up being killed.

“This is bad.” -Ikemoto

“If we get hit by a level 3, we’ll die.” -Onoda

“What should we do? Should we go apologize at Rokujou’s house? He seems like a pretty nice guy, so if we apologize properly, maybe he won’t come to beat us up?” -Gotou

The more their words sank in, the more anger boiled up inside me. Adults told us that dungeons are dangerous places, and you shouldn’t enter them until you enroll in D-Rank High, right?

Why is someone like Rokujou allowed to enter such a dangerous place?

If he can enter, then I should be able to as well. My birthday was over half a year ago, so I’ve long been able to enter. If I had entered the dungeon and leveled up, I would probably be around level 50 or 100 by now. Then I could have gently guided Kiriyama.

“Huh? Ikemoto, are you crying?”  

Again. It’s just like that time again. When I was in sixth grade, I started getting interested in pro wrestling and began practicing techniques at home. I even did muscle training. So when I felt like trying out the techniques, I decided to test them out on Rokujou, the weakest and most timid kid in school, on that day.

“H-Hey? Why do I have to be your pro wrestling partner?” -Rokujou

Hearing those words made me unreasonably want to use a technique on him. But I lost that time. Even though he was timid at school, Rokujou was strangely strong, and I couldn’t properly execute the techniques. On the contrary, when I came to, he was choking my neck, and it hurt so much that I ended up crying.

“I-I’m not crying! There’s no way I’d be crying! Don’t you dare tell anyone about this!” -Ikemoto

“Why would I go around telling people things they don’t want to hear?” -Rokujou

“Tch, damn it! Don’t you look down on me!” -Ikemoto

I was so frustrated and mortified that I cried in front of someone who seemed so weak, so I seriously started training my body, and the moment I entered middle school, I got my revenge and beat him to a pulp. But he didn’t even have the resolve to take revenge on me, and remained a miserable existence who just quietly let himself get hit.

Could it be that he’s been biding his time and aiming for this all along?

What a spiteful guy!

Wait a minute. So now I’m the one who’s going to have this ridiculous dungeon revenge done to me?

Give me a break. I absolutely hate this. Apologize? Me? Why should I have to apologize!? Screw that! It’s all his fault, isn’t it!? Like hell a pathetic guy like him has the right to take revenge on me!

*Bell ringing*

The chime sounded and the homeroom teacher entered. The guys who were gathered in the classroom dispersed. When I took a good look at Kiriyama again, she had become so beautiful that just looking at her took my breath away. Do dungeons really change you this much?

Are Kiriyama and Rokujou doing it, as beautiful as she is?

Could they be kissing?

Is that Rokujou hugging someone as beautiful as Kiriyama?

I liked her so much I couldn’t stand it, and yet I never even came close, but she chose Rokujou?

Why would she choose trash like him? I’m way better looking!

But the teacher brought up Kiriyama and Rokujou as a “bad example” and calmly warned everyone.

“Whatever you do, don’t imitate Kiriyama and enter the dungeon!” -Ikemoto

With that, everyone’s enthusiasm seemed to cool down at once. Koharu, who is also Kiriyama’s friend, tried to say something, but Kiriyama stopped her with a shake of her head.

“The teacher is right. It really is dangerous, and even I thought I was going to die for real 3 or 4 times,” she said.

That comment made the homeroom teacher get even more carried away and started talking about how dangerous dungeons are from the podium. His words didn’t sink into my head at all. I just felt like I had lost to the person I had been bullying. It was thoroughly unpleasant.

So I talked to Onoda and Gotou about entering the dungeon as a group of three.

But the two of them hesitated, and above all, if we entered D-Rank High, we could level up safely unless something really bad happened. If Rokujou really tried to do this dungeon revenge thing, we could even prostrate ourselves and beg for forgiveness. They didn’t go along with it, saying that was better.

The calm part of me says it’s reckless to enter alone after all. I’ll meekly lower my head to Rokujou like those two. Then I’ll enter D-Rank High, level up, and get back at him. No, that’s impossible. The leveling speed of stray explorers is on a completely different level.

While we’re reaching level 30, they’ll already be at 300.

But if I rashly enter the dungeon, I’ll die.

Damn it. Why did he do something so crazy?

Did he hate me that much?

As I was thinking, my smartphone started ringing.

“Kazuya” -Koharu

“What is it?” -Ikemoto

“Hey, don’t you think you want to make Rokujou have a bit of a painful experience?” -Koharu

Koharu said something like that to me. Koharu was the only girl who called me by my first name. The only thing I was dissatisfied with was that she made me keep our relationship a secret, saying it would cause a fuss at school if people found out middle school students were dating.

“Huh? Did you have some kind of relationship with Rokujou?” -Ikemoto

“Not really, but don’t you think Misuzu’s behavior is a bit strange? I’m sure she’s been hypnotized or something.” -Koharu

“S-Seriously? He’s doing something that dirty?” -Ikemoto

“I’m pretty sure I’m not mistaken.” -Koharu

I see. So that’s how it is. I thought something was weird. It’s strange in the first place for Kiriyama Misuzu to enter the dungeon with someone like Rokujou. No, but was he that bad of a person? But Koharu is abnormally knowledgeable about dungeons. If Koharu says so, it must be true.

“Kazuya. Please save Misuzu. That’s something only you can do.” -Koharu

I see. So that’s how it is. He’s evil and I’m justice. It wasn’t wrong for me to keep bullying him. Let’s beat some sense into that rotten guy once more. That’s what I thought.